Job Processing & Construction Phase Control

1. Purpose & Governing Principle

This SOP defines the required flow of information, the approval checkpoints, and the responsibility chain for every pool construction job from the moment a contract is signed through final completion. Adherence to this process protects our customers, our subcontractors, and the company's financial health.

2. Roles & Primary Responsibilities

Role	Primary Responsibility
Scheduler	Oversees all construction flow. Assigns phases, verifies plans and materials before each assignment, manages permit inspection timelines, tracks all job progress in CRM, chairs weekly build meeting.
Salesperson	Owns the customer relationship and the accuracy of all job documentation from contract through final completion. Responsible for plans, materials confirmation, customer communication, and addendum tracking.
Project Manager (PM)	Field oversight of active jobs. Receives work orders and current plan sets from scheduler. Ensures plans are on-site and current. Communicates field issues to scheduler and sales promptly.
GM / Owner	Final decision authority on exceptions, holds, and any situation involving cost exposure, plan disputes, or deviation from this SOP. No other role may approve a hold override.
Office / Contract Entry	Receives signed contracts from salesperson. Enters contracts into CRM (Premier Build or JobTread). Confirms upload of all documents and verifies deposit receipt documentation.

3. Contract Intake — Salesperson Responsibilities

When a contract is signed, the clock starts. The following steps must be completed before any engineering, permitting, or excavation activity is initiated.

3.1 Contract Submission

1. Deliver signed contract to the designated contract-entry person (office staff).
2. Verify in Premier Build or JobTread that all contract documents are uploaded within 24 hours of signing.
3. Confirm the customer file in the CRM contains: signed contract, job address, scope summary, and any verbal understandings noted in writing.

3.2 Deposit Tracking

A deposit of $500 (or an alternative agreed amount) is required at contract signing. The method of payment must be documented and uploaded to the CRM job file on the day it is received.

Payment Method	Tracking Requirement	Documented By	Uploaded To CRM
Credit Card (Terminal)	Run receipt printed & signed by customer. Note last 4 digits, amount, date, staff name.	Office Staff / Salesperson	Receipt scan or photo in CRM under job file
Check	Photocopy check front. Note check #, bank name, amount, date, received by.	Salesperson / Office	Scanned check image in CRM job file
Cash	Issue signed cash receipt with amount, date, purpose, received by. Customer signature required.	Salesperson (witness preferred)	Signed cash receipt scan in CRM — notify GM same day
ACH / Bank Transfer	Note confirmation #, sending bank, date initiated, date cleared, amount.	Office / Bookkeeper	Confirmation email or bank record in CRM

3.3 Financing Verification

Before any engineering or permitting work begins, financing must be confirmed as one of the following:

Financing Source	Required Documentation
Customer's Own Funds	Customer confirms in writing (email or signed note) they are self-funding. Log in CRM.
Lyon Financial	Approval letter or confirmation # uploaded to CRM. Verify amount covers contract total.
HFS Financial	Approval documentation uploaded. Verify funding timeline vs. construction start.
Thrive Financial	Same as HFS.
Viking Financial	Same as HFS.
Home Equity Loan (Local)	Written approval or commitment letter required in CRM before proceeding.

4. Planning, Engineering & Permitting

4.1 Construction Plan Preparation

Once financing is confirmed (or advance permit payment received), the salesperson builds out the construction plans for three uses:

• Engineering submission
• City or county permit application
• HOA approval package (if applicable)

4.2 HOA Process

1. Confirm the customer has their HOA contact information and submission requirements.
2. Provide the customer with an HOA-formatted plan set at the same time as permit submission — not after.
3. Communicate clearly that HOA approval can take longer than city/county permitting, and that the dig date cannot be set until both are in hand.
4. Document the HOA submission date and expected response window in CRM under job notes.
5. Follow up with customer on HOA status at least weekly.

4.3 Weekly Customer Communication — Engineering & Permit Phase

From plan submission through permit receipt, the salesperson contacts the customer once per week by phone or text with a status update.

• Lead with what is known: "Plans were submitted on [date]. We are in the queue at [jurisdiction]."
• Under-promise and overdeliver on timelines. Do not give hard start dates you cannot guarantee.
• If the customer is applying pressure: "I understand — we are watching this closely. As soon as permits are in hand we move fast."
• Log each contact attempt and outcome in CRM job notes.

5. Materials Selection

5.1 Policy — Selection Before Excavation

All materials must be selected and documented in the CRM job file before the excavation date is set. This is a standing policy. The only person authorized to approve an exception is the GM or Owner, in writing, in CRM.

5.2 CRITICAL — Coping Selection (No Exception)

Factor	Detail
Why It Matters	The elevation of the pool shell forms is set to the coping thickness. The pool height is established at a minimum of 1.5" below the weep screed of the house, or is set to match existing adjacent decking — whichever is the governing elevation. This is a structural and waterproofing requirement.
Impact of Change	If coping thickness changes by 1/2" or more after excavation, it affects pool depth, the slope relationship between the pool and the approved elevation set point, and may create conditions where finish deck or pool exceeds the weep screed — allowing water intrusion into the house structure.
Required Documentation	Salesperson documents the confirmed coping type and nominal thickness in CRM before scheduler is authorized to set the dig date.

5.3 Exception Process — Starting Without Full Material Selection

1. Salesperson writes a written justification explaining why the exception is warranted.
2. Justification is uploaded to the CRM job file.
3. Customer reviews and signs a notice acknowledging that: (a) not all materials are selected, and (b) delays in selection may delay construction progress if materials are needed before they are chosen.
4. Signed notice is scanned and uploaded to CRM.
5. GM or Owner must review and note approval of the exception in CRM before dig proceeds.

6. Pre-Dig Gate — Setting the Excavation Date

The scheduler is the gatekeeper for setting a dig date. All of the following must be confirmed and documented in CRM before an excavation date may be assigned.

6.1 Weekly Build Meeting — Agenda Items for Pending Jobs

• Review pre-dig checklist status for each job approaching start
• Salesperson verbally confirms materials are still correct — no verbal changes from customer since last meeting
• Any pending addendums reviewed for status: signed / awaiting customer / not yet written
• Addendums affecting cost, plans, or materials flagged for GM review before phase is assigned
• Decision to hold or proceed for any flagged items made by GM or Owner only

7. Construction Phase Control

7.1 Phase Assignment — Standard Requirements

Before assigning any phase to a subcontractor, the scheduler must:

1. Verify current plans are in CRM and are accurate. If any doubt, confirm with the salesperson in writing.
2. Confirm materials for the phase are still correct with the salesperson. Log confirmation in CRM with date and method.
3. Note in CRM: "Scheduler verified plans and materials with [salesperson name] on [date] — confirmed correct. Assigning phase."
4. If an addendum exists that may affect phase scope or cost, do not assign until adjusted cost is confirmed by the salesperson and updated in the budget.
5. Send work order to subcontractor with current plan set attached from CRM. CC: Salesperson, PM, and GM on all work order notes.

7.2 Sending Costs to Subcontractors

Rule	Phases
Send directly from original budget	Excavation, Steel, Plumbing, Electrical, Shotcrete, Plaster / Pebble
Require salesperson approval before sending	Coping & Tile, Decking, Specialty phases (grottos, slides, man-made rock, retaining walls, feature walls)
Exception for any phase	If any addendum has modified scope or cost — regardless of category — the adjusted budget must be confirmed with the salesperson before cost is sent.

7.3 Current Plans on the Job Site

7.4 Permit Inspections

Each jurisdiction has its own inspection timelines and call-ahead requirements. The scheduler is responsible for:

• Knowing the inspection lead time for each active job's jurisdiction
• Calling for inspections at the correct point in each phase
• Logging inspection call dates and expected inspection windows in CRM
• Notifying PM of upcoming inspection windows so the site is ready
• Documenting inspection results in CRM immediately upon receipt

7.5 If Plans Need to Be Updated Mid-Construction

1. Salesperson creates an updated plan reflecting the change.
2. Updated plan is uploaded to CRM and marked as the current version.
3. Any phase not yet completed and affected by the plan change is placed ON HOLD until the new plan is in CRM and confirmed.
4. Scheduler prints 2 copies of the new plan.
5. PM retrieves new copies, removes all old copies from truck and job site, discards old versions.
6. Scheduler logs in CRM: plan updated, old copies removed, current copies delivered, phase hold lifted (with date).

8. Phase Gate Summary — Quick Reference

Gate	Required Before Proceeding	Verified By	Decision Authority
Contract Intake	Signed contract in CRM, deposit received & documented, financing confirmed OR hold placed	Office / Sales	Scheduler clears to proceed
Engineering & Permitting	Financing verified & funded, OR advance permit payment received, HOA submission initiated if applicable	Salesperson	Scheduler
Materials Selection	All materials chosen & logged in CRM. Coping type & thickness confirmed BEFORE excavation — no exceptions.	Salesperson	GM or Owner if exception needed
Set Dig Date	Permits in hand, financing confirmed, materials chosen, plans current, all addendums noted, weekly meeting review complete	Scheduler	Scheduler (GM/Owner for exceptions)
Each Construction Phase	Current plans verified with salesperson, materials confirmed, sub costs reviewed for addendum impacts, work order issued	Scheduler + Salesperson	Scheduler assigns; GM/Owner if dispute
Plan Change Mid-Build	Updated plan created, uploaded to CRM, old copies removed from site, 2 new copies printed for PM truck + job site	Scheduler	Salesperson (plan author)
Final Completion	All inspections passed, all punch items signed off, customer sign-off, all CRM records complete	PM + Scheduler	GM

9. Financial Protection Principles

The following principles exist specifically to protect the company's ability to achieve an 8% net profit target:

• Every phase of work completed incorrectly because of a process gap — wrong plans, wrong materials, incorrect scope — is repaired at company expense.
• Every week a job sits waiting for permitting, HOA, or financing that should have been resolved earlier is a week of overhead with no revenue progress.
• Addendum cost changes not captured before a work order is sent result in either overpaying subs or underbilling customers.
• Subcontractors who receive incorrect work orders and must rework are less likely to prioritize our jobs in the future.

10. Accountability & Escalation

10.1 Who Enforces This SOP

1. Each role self-enforces within their lane — salespeople own their documentation; schedulers own their phase gates.
2. The Scheduler flags any incomplete pre-dig checklist or phase verification gap to the salesperson and GM before acting.
3. The GM reviews any exception request, hold override, or dispute not resolvable at the sales/scheduler level.
4. The Owner has final authority on all matters, including any decision to override this SOP.

10.2 When to Escalate Immediately

• Customer has verbally requested a change to materials, plans, or scope and the salesperson has not yet created an addendum
• A sub has been sent plans that are not the current version and has already begun work
• A phase was completed to incorrect specifications because of a documentation failure
• Financing has not been confirmed and the job is approaching a scheduled dig date
• Any situation where completing or not completing a step would cost the company money or put a customer in a bad experience

10.3 CRM Is the System of Record

If it is not in CRM, it did not happen — for SOP purposes. Verbal agreements, text message approvals, and informal conversations are not sufficient. Every confirmation, every hold, every exception approval, every plan change, every addendum status update must be logged in CRM. This protects every member of the team when questions arise later.